Petunia plant named ‘Keisurfbripitos’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Keisurfbripitos’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching and flowering plant habit; long flowering period; red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘KEISURFBRIPITOS’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Keisurfbripitos’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Katori, Chiba, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and freely flowering Petunia plants with early flowering habit and attractive flower coloration.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in September, 2005 in Katori, Chiba, Japan of a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number 06B-15, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number 05M-42, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Katori, Chiba, Japan in March, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Katori, Chiba, Japan since March, 2006 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Keisurfbripitos’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Keisurfbripitos’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching and flowering plant habit.     -   4. Long flowering period.     -   5. Red purple-colored flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are not as compact as plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have light blue-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are taller than plants of the male         parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have deep pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of the Petunia ‘Keisurfpusos’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,838. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Katori, Chiba, Japan, plants of the new Petunia and ‘Keisurfpusos’ differed primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia had shorter and broader leaves than         plants of ‘Keisurfpusos’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia had larger flowers than plants of         ‘Keisurfpusos’.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Keisurfpusos’ differed in         flower petal and throat color as plants of ‘Keisurfpusos’ had         purple-colored flower petals and throats.     -   4. Plants of the new Petunia had larger sepals than plants of         ‘Keisurfpusos’.     -   5. Plants of the new Petunia had longer and thicker peduncles         than plants of ‘Keisurfpusos’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Keisurfbripitos’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Keisurfbripitos’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the late summer and early autumn in 9-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Katori, Chiba, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 21° C. and night temperatures averaged 14° C. Plants were pinched one time and were four months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘Keisurfbripitos’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code number 06B-15, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code number 05M-42, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About one week at             temperatures of 15° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at             temperatures of 15° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             weeks at temperatures of 15° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures of 15° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, medium in thickness; white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright and mounding plant             habit; freely branching habit with numerous lateral branches             developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch             development; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 16 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 28 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 17 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 8 mm.         -   Strength.—Strong, flexible.         -   Aspect.—Upright to outwardly spreading.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 144B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 4.3 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 144A. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A; venation,             close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 144A; venation, close to 144C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 143A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers             arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit             typically with numerous flowers developing per plant;             flowers face upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant; pleasant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of             the new Petunia initiate and develop flowers about two to             three weeks after planting; long flowering period; flowering             commences naturally in late March, flowering continuous             throughout the summer until late October in Japan.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five days on             the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4.5 cm.         -   Flower length (depth).—About 3.3 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.6 cm. Diameter: About 4.5 mm.             Shape: Cylindrical; apex, twisted. Color: Close to 145A.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:             About 2 cm. Petal width: About 2.3 cm. Petal shape: Roughly             spatulate. Petal apex: Obtuse. Petal margin: Entire;             slightly undulate. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube             texture: Pubescent. Color: Petal, when opening, upper             surface: Close to 61B. Petal, when opening, lower surface:             Close to 73B. Petal, fully opened, upper surface: Close to             63B; venation, close to 63B; color becoming closer to 63C             with development. Petal, fully opened, lower surface: Close             to 65C; venation, close to 65C. Throat: Close to 3C;             venation, close to 153A. Tube: Close to 2C; venation, close             to 145B.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Tubular star-shaped calyx tube with five             sepals fused at the base. Sepal length: About 1.1 cm. Sepal             width: About 4.5 mm. Sepal shape: Narrowly elliptic. Sepal             apex: Broadly acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, immature and             mature, upper surface: Close to 137B. Color, immature and             mature, lower surface: Close to 137C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent; viscid. Color: Close             to 143C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Anther size: About 1 mm by 0.8 mm. Anther shape: Roughly             round. Anther color: Close to 2D. Pollen amount: Moderate.             Pollen color: Close to 155B. Pistils: Quantity per flower:             One. Pistil length: About 2 cm. Style length: About 1.6 cm.             Style color: Close to N144D. Stigma shape: Transversely             ellipsoidal. Stigma color: Close to 143B. Seeds and fruits:             Seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants             of the new Petunia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Keisurfbripitos’ as illustrated and described. 